Infest 2015 - Five reasons why you should head to Bradford, UK this summer
We would be late to the game if we were to review the 2014 edition of Infest festival now, but the inevitable passage of time, cruel as it may be, provides us with a perfect opportunity to inform everyone who missed out on the past incarnations of the festival why Bradford, UK is the place to be this coming August.
We use the experience of Infest 2014 to build a list of 5 reasons why you should keep a close eye on this year's line up announcements that will soon start building the momentum of Infest 2015.
The old. The new. And the totally different.
Unlike some industrial festivals that year after year find themselves funnelled down the same, well travelled path, riddled with the bands that you've seen time and again, the organizers of Infest strive to deliver the most eclectic line up possible while preserving the cohesive atmosphere of the whole enterprise. In 2014, every day seemed to have a slightly different angle on the industrial scene at large, moving from the cold wave onslaught of machine rock grit on day one, through the sweet and romantic tones of synth pop, the impenetrable walls of noise, all the way to the purest forms of electronic debauchery that had the crowds dancing restlessly. Last year the peaceful town of Bradford was the only place where you could see, under one roof, the likes of Cyanotic, Ashbury Heights, Daniel Myer as both Haujobb and Architect, and then top it with a lengthy, closing set by VNV Nation. In the end the defining moments come from the least expected places like Legend's unforgettable set that had the entire audience hypnotized from start to finish.
Too much of a good thing is never a bad thing.
The three days of Infest are indeed packed with industrial stars but perhaps, and even more importantly, they all get enough time to shine. The 45 minutes long slots flow organically and whether it's Rabbit Junk stealing the scene for themselves to give the front row moshers few more minutes of physical exercise or Mr.Kitty's Forrest Avery Carney performing few more songs for his insistent fans, the music and the experience that comes with it are at the centre of Infest. And rightfully so. When way past your bedtime your muscles are tested by song after song of Juno Reactor's mix of high octane beats and intense scenic presence, you begin to understand why little can compare to this particular kind of exhaustion and fulfilment.
The Infest Army is fierce and vast.
The experience of any festival is largely dependant on the gathered audience. Not many festivals are lucky enough to have a fan base as loyal and devoted as the self proclaimed Infest Army. When the festival faced cancellation due to the looming, if ultimately unfulfilled, threat of Alt-Fest's total scene domination, the countless voices of Infest's supporters and genre aficionados had the organizers play against the odds and once again turn the University of Bradford into a three day long celebration of alternative music and culture. And if the fact that the next event was confirmed only a few days after the sounds of the 2014's line up have echoed away, is anything to go by than it certainly seems that the gamble has paid off.
The people that attend Infest form an unstoppable legion but on site, lack the cynicism that sadly permeates the scene. For a few days one is able to enjoy the music in proximity of fans not interested in genre turf wars and squabble and it's a refreshing feeling indeed.
Seventeen is a big number.
Having witnessed the collapse of so many scene related festivals over the last few years, established and new ones alike, one comes to respect the reputation and the commitment that precede those who go on.
The 2015 Infest line up will mark 17th edition of the festival, an admirable feat in and of itself but a symptom of something far more important. When in 2014 Ambassador21, Le Moderniste and Project Pitchfork were forced to back out due to health issues and last minute logistics, the announcements regarding their replacements followed almost instantly and in the course of the show no one seemed to be disappointed. ESA, Architect and VNV Nation stepped in, providing a high calibre substitute for the missing acts. In fact, in some ways, the closing set of the final day delivered by VNV's Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson felt like a homecoming, filled with a friendly banter and played in the spirit of transcendent musical unity.
This industrial engine powers through unforeseen circumstances with ease and last year managed to get everyone exactly where they were meant to be.
"I'm too old to sleep in a tent."
Said to me a befriended Infest attendee. And it's difficult to agree more, funny as it may be. The venue, located in the heart of Bradford's University might seem odd but it provides the gathered crowd with immediate accommodation, that consists, on the cheap, of actual walls and a ceiling. What you shrug off in your youth becomes essential as you reach, and move past, your twenties and the logic behind the entire Infest adventure is solid, giving you a chance to spend an intense weekend without spending a small fortune. Trust me, the comfort of a bed after another beer fuelled riotous night is priceless.
Check out the festival website at www.infestuk.com for details regarding band announcements, accommodation and tickets.
We use the experience of Infest 2014 to build a list of 5 reasons why you should keep a close eye on this year's line up announcements that will soon start building the momentum of Infest 2015.
The old. The new. And the totally different.
Unlike some industrial festivals that year after year find themselves funnelled down the same, well travelled path, riddled with the bands that you've seen time and again, the organizers of Infest strive to deliver the most eclectic line up possible while preserving the cohesive atmosphere of the whole enterprise. In 2014, every day seemed to have a slightly different angle on the industrial scene at large, moving from the cold wave onslaught of machine rock grit on day one, through the sweet and romantic tones of synth pop, the impenetrable walls of noise, all the way to the purest forms of electronic debauchery that had the crowds dancing restlessly. Last year the peaceful town of Bradford was the only place where you could see, under one roof, the likes of Cyanotic, Ashbury Heights, Daniel Myer as both Haujobb and Architect, and then top it with a lengthy, closing set by VNV Nation. In the end the defining moments come from the least expected places like Legend's unforgettable set that had the entire audience hypnotized from start to finish.
Too much of a good thing is never a bad thing.
The three days of Infest are indeed packed with industrial stars but perhaps, and even more importantly, they all get enough time to shine. The 45 minutes long slots flow organically and whether it's Rabbit Junk stealing the scene for themselves to give the front row moshers few more minutes of physical exercise or Mr.Kitty's Forrest Avery Carney performing few more songs for his insistent fans, the music and the experience that comes with it are at the centre of Infest. And rightfully so. When way past your bedtime your muscles are tested by song after song of Juno Reactor's mix of high octane beats and intense scenic presence, you begin to understand why little can compare to this particular kind of exhaustion and fulfilment.
The Infest Army is fierce and vast.
The experience of any festival is largely dependant on the gathered audience. Not many festivals are lucky enough to have a fan base as loyal and devoted as the self proclaimed Infest Army. When the festival faced cancellation due to the looming, if ultimately unfulfilled, threat of Alt-Fest's total scene domination, the countless voices of Infest's supporters and genre aficionados had the organizers play against the odds and once again turn the University of Bradford into a three day long celebration of alternative music and culture. And if the fact that the next event was confirmed only a few days after the sounds of the 2014's line up have echoed away, is anything to go by than it certainly seems that the gamble has paid off.
The people that attend Infest form an unstoppable legion but on site, lack the cynicism that sadly permeates the scene. For a few days one is able to enjoy the music in proximity of fans not interested in genre turf wars and squabble and it's a refreshing feeling indeed.
Seventeen is a big number.
Having witnessed the collapse of so many scene related festivals over the last few years, established and new ones alike, one comes to respect the reputation and the commitment that precede those who go on.
The 2015 Infest line up will mark 17th edition of the festival, an admirable feat in and of itself but a symptom of something far more important. When in 2014 Ambassador21, Le Moderniste and Project Pitchfork were forced to back out due to health issues and last minute logistics, the announcements regarding their replacements followed almost instantly and in the course of the show no one seemed to be disappointed. ESA, Architect and VNV Nation stepped in, providing a high calibre substitute for the missing acts. In fact, in some ways, the closing set of the final day delivered by VNV's Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson felt like a homecoming, filled with a friendly banter and played in the spirit of transcendent musical unity.
This industrial engine powers through unforeseen circumstances with ease and last year managed to get everyone exactly where they were meant to be.
"I'm too old to sleep in a tent."
Said to me a befriended Infest attendee. And it's difficult to agree more, funny as it may be. The venue, located in the heart of Bradford's University might seem odd but it provides the gathered crowd with immediate accommodation, that consists, on the cheap, of actual walls and a ceiling. What you shrug off in your youth becomes essential as you reach, and move past, your twenties and the logic behind the entire Infest adventure is solid, giving you a chance to spend an intense weekend without spending a small fortune. Trust me, the comfort of a bed after another beer fuelled riotous night is priceless.
Check out the festival website at www.infestuk.com for details regarding band announcements, accommodation and tickets.
